World No.1 Mark Allen accepts he now has target on his back as he bids for fast start to new snooker season
Antrim man Allen is just the 12th snooker player to make it to the top of the world rankings and will be one of the favourites at Shanghai Masters this week
New world number one Mark Allen is hungry to kick the 2024-25 season off with a bang. Northern Ireland’s top potter kicks off his quest for more silverware at the Shanghai Masters on Wednesday (15-21 July), the first major ranking tournament of the new season.
And the Antrim ace knows there will be plenty of players queuing up to knock him off his new perch at the top of the world rankings.
“It would be nice to win my first event as world number one and for it to be the Shanghai Masters,” revealed Allen, who faces either England's Gary Wilson or China's Pang Junxu on Wednesday morning.
Read next: Mark Allen's snooker earnings show remarkable turnaround after bankruptcy
Read next: Ronnie O'Sullivan plummets down world snooker rankings after Crucible KO
“But being world number one comes with its own pressure, I’m sure a lot of players will be trying to beat me now.
“It is nice to be on top, but I’m going to be the target. I’m going to be the one everybody is chasing.
“Whether it is one week or 10 years, I am the 12th person who is able to say they are world number one. That is a big feather in my cap.
“It is nice to hear myself being called world number one. It has been a long time coming and it has been a career goal of mine. I’m very happy to get there. “But it is up to me to keep working hard and try to stay there as long as possible
“It is going to be tough, I know that especially the way the rankings work, but that is the nature of the beast.
“I know what I’m getting myself in for. I know I’m going to need to have a really good year, because Judd Trump had such a good season last year in the ranking events (and didn’t get the world number one).
“I need to go and win tournaments. Ultimately if I win the World Championship at the end of the year that will be a massive help to staying there.
Attacking left-hander Allen, 38, has won an impressive SIX titles in the past two seasons and been the most consistent potter on tour.
And, despite the pressure, the 11-time ranking event winner hopes to raise his game to another level as he targets more trophies in his prime.
“I’m 38 now and I’ve just peaked and got to world number one,” reflected Allen.
“Hopefully I have a lot more to offer the game in the next ten years.
“I’d have thought the peak for a player came around 30 and that they’d be coming to the end of their career at 40.
“Now I think players are getting smarter. They are getting fitter as well.
“I’d say peak is now late 30s and playing until late 40s. There is probably a ten year difference.”
“The top players, like Ronnie O’Sullivan, Mark Williams and John Higgins, have separated themselves.
“They should be coming towards the end of their careers, but they’re not. It is great for Shanghai.
“These are the very best players in the world and the sort of events you want to be involved with.”
Get the latest sports headlines straight to your inbox by signing up for free email alerts.
Related
Share this page
Guest Posts by Easy Branches
